San Juan County Council Candidates Speak Before the Public

— by Margie Doyle —

Candidates for San Juan County Council, from left: Steve Wehrly, Bill Watson, Frank Penwell, Bob Jarman and Sheryl Albritton. All county voters will select two candidates from these five at the August primary election; the top two will go on to the November general election.

Attendance was sparse (about two dozen) at the League of Women Voters of the San Juans Election Forum on Tuesday, July 5. Yet the audience asked knowledgeable questions that elicited the positions of the five candidates running county-wide for the seat from San Juan Island in the County Council. The August primary will decide the top two contenders for the seat.

(The Orcas /Waldron seat is contested between incumbent Rick Hughes and challenger Michael Durland, who will face each other at the General Election in November).

The five candidates in the Primary election, all present at Tuesday night’s forum and those of the following night on Lopez Island and San Juan Island are:

• Sheryl Albritton
• Bob Jarman, incumbent
• Frank Penwell
• Bill Watson
• Steve Wehrly

The forum was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the San Juans and moderated by LWV SJs member Steve Bowman, with time limits observed in the opening statements, responses to questions and concluding statements.

QUESTIONS TO THE CANDIDATES

How can you represent the county in addressing the housing scarcity, particularly for those at poverty level?

Penwell advised forming an advisory committee to develop answers, and using the Comprehensive Plan Update process, scheduled for 2017. He recommended reading the Planning Commission report on affordable housing, published in 2011.

Watson described the scarcity of affordable housing for those at and near the poverty level, as one of four prongs of the housing problem. He said that locating funding and a regular source of revenue was critical to solving the problem.

Wehrly said there needs to be cooperation among the “organizations that have worked with these issues for at least 20 years… to maximize the efforts begin done to provide more housing.” He also spoke of the obstacles of funding and of regulations. “We have to find a way to build multiple family dwellings,” he said.

“The regulatory environment the county works in is not conducive to maximizing housing efforts,” he said. “The solution needs to be obtained through the efforts of developers, environmentalists and those in need of housing.”

Albritton said she would convene “key players and those involved in solving the issue.
“Land is one problem; where is [housing] going to go? We work with the GMA (Growth Management Act), which is intended for urbanizing counties, yet we’re different. We have a huge influx in summer, and are deserted in winter.” She suggesting spreading out housing density “rather than squeeze everyone into the UGA (Urban Growth Area).

“It’s a  multi-faceted problem and needs a multi-faceted solution,” she said.

Current Councilman Bob Jarman said he is working with County Health Director Mark Tompkins and a work force for affordable, permanent housing. As well as addressing the issue through the Comprehensive Plan, he advised private-public partnerships where private developers could work with non-profits.

“One issue now is vacation rentals that have taken rentals off the market,” he said. “Do we offer incentives for people to build affordable long-term rental units? It’s tough to tackle, but we have ideas to move forward.”

Michael Riordan asked if the candidates would favor using the lodging tax for summer housing for island jobs.

Jarman said the county is considering whether such a purpose is the best use of that money. He suggested that buildings could be constructed on county-owned property.

Albritton was in favor of using the Lodging Tax to cover housing, and added that the increase in tourism is one of the main causes for the housing shortage. “Now we’re a national monument and getting more exposure; we’re seeing people earlier [in the tourist season]. It makes sense to use the cause as part of the solution,” she said

Wehrly advocated looking at “all sources of funding for something like this. You know the difficulties of taking money from one group and giving to others.” He proposed working with state and federal sources for housing revenue, saying, “The tax base now is fully utilized,” he said.

“The other side is to make it profitable; find land to build on and a friendly regulatory environment.”

Watson said that he supported using the Lodging Tax ans a revenue stream. He also proposed a Housing Authority, a real estate tax, reducing the cost of building and considering other models behind the “single family home solution.”

Watson added, “Private businesses should participate in this,” he said. “Clearly it’s impacting our economy today. We’ve  known about the problem since 2008; it comes down to project management.”

Penwell said that while using the lodging tax “sounds like a good solution, I don’t like to jump into solutions, which is why I came up with an advisory board solution. I’d put together a 12-member team [to research] how the tax would impact their area and write a white paper about their recommendations.”

Fred Klein asked the candidates if they’d support using the excise tax that funds the Land Bank to take care of critical species for affordable housing for “the blue-collared worker.”

Wehrly replied he would support such a use, and said it would “perhaps be more appropriate than using the LTAC (Lodging Tax).”

Penwell said he was in support of the idea: “That’s what I mean by getting volunteer advisors. I agree that additional tax is not needed.”

Albritton questioned whether the Land Bank charter covers housing issues. “But I support an excise tax for affordable housing; it’s one solution in trying to solve a complex problem.”

Watson said, “I’d support a REET (real estate excise tax0 for affordable housing; it was suggested in 2008. The issues of affordable housing will be facing us as we go into the future, as outside pressures grow and real estate prices increase. We need a continuing program to support continuing growth.”

Jarman said, “If there was no other way to fund, I would take a hard look at supporting a REET excise tax, but would look at other issues first.”

David Turnoy asked a question pertaining to “personnel matters that have occurred over the past several years;” asking why Dick Grout, a former Planning Commission member was rejected for a position on that board by “certain parties in the county.”

Jarman replied that he had found Brent Snow to be “more involved in the north end” [of San Juan Island] and that he was concerned that other members of the Planning Commission would defer to Grout, who had founded the Planning Commission and served on it previously, rather than to county staff.

Wehrly said, “Problems of personnel have been problematic.” He maintained that personnel issues could be better managed if “people maintained a non-biased attitude about giving the county employees the scope to do the best job possible, and backing them up.”

Watson said the question brought up “a huge conversation,” but that he would try to limit his answer. He found it objectionable that one councilman could block nominations, and that the conversation didn’t occur in a public meeting. “I believe such a block was in violation of the county charter,” he said.

Penwell said that his past experience as a builder led him to believe that Grout was not an effective communicator. “I think there should be a process that involves more than county council,” he added.

Albritton said she had studied Grout’s background in “bringing growth management to a very rural county.” She disputed the claim that Grout was “overqualified,” but said that she was satisfied with the appointment of Brent Snow in the Planning Commission position as someone who “balanced environment and development.”

Sadie Bailey asked how the candidates would represent the environment as the council dealt with the Comprehensive Plan. She referred to “tremendous deforestation” on Orcas Island in particular. She said, “I’ve gone to meetings for over 20 years and don’t see any hope — what will you do to see environmental concerns addressed in the UGAs?”

Watson said, “I have your same concerns; I  think we’ve sacrificed environment for development….we need a discussion of our carrying capacity.

“We need to make conscious decisions about how big, how fast, how many visitors… the community should make that choice rather than ignoring the conversation. Since the Comp Plan was laid out, that conversations has been prohibited from occurring.

“What would a total buildout look like?” he asked

Wehrly responded, “Deforestation has been a problem on all these islands since 1850, [when] trees got cut for lime kilns and lumber uses. It has never stopped and will be very difficult to stop now,” he said.  “We have to involve the entire community.

“If you have to go the route of initiative and referendum, so be it. We have to take into account problems with housing and with environment. It’s important to recognize that over the past 20 years, the islands have worked hard to maintain the environment that it is now. It’s going to be difficult for the county to take away property development rights of people that own the land that trees are on.”

Penwell remarked that the environment “feels much better than it did when I came in 1976;” and that he has seen some fields become forested. “There has to be some middle ground; it can’t be all environment and no people.” He added that “Conservation easements and other things have been working well.”

Jarman welcomed the question about the environment and development. He suggested studying timber management and forested areas, and said he’s seen a trend towards smaller buildings: “I think everybody is moving toward putting a smaller carbon footprint.”

Albritton said that environment-development balance is “something I’ve worked with over the years of my career [as a code enforcement/permitting consultant].” She referred to areas such as Coupeville, where the building permit process includes timber management plans and planting trees. She also discussed regulations that allow financial incentives for enhancing buffers around streams, and other environmental improvements.

Janet Alderton asked the candidates how they would “handle water issues going forward for ultimate buildout.”

Albritton said that water issues are her passion. While she pointed out that “Conservation is huge,” she added that the islands are in a unique situation, where we “don’t have the mountains and rivers recharging our aquifers.” She advocated planting areas where the water [table] is: “Open wetlands need vegetation to help recharge the aquifer.”

Jarman said, “Water has always been an issue in the San Juans, a driving factor where people can and can’t develop.” He noted that water is regulated by the State Department of Ecology.

Penwell brought up that rain catchment systems are one solution, but that county regulations obstruct catchment systems and “other out-of-the-box ways.”

Watson said that comprehensive analysis of the water situation is needed, with facts and data in order to make well-informed decisions. “That doesn’t mean let’s delay, but the carrying capacity of the environment includes understanding the fresh water supply.”

Jehly admitted, “I don’t know much about this issue. That is why we need people like you who do know to inform, and get some solid answers.

“These are tough questions; I’d certainly be willing to work with everybody to find answers. We have to find them.”

Tomorrow: Council candidates answer questions about priorities, housing density and transparency.

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